XALIMANEWS: The controversy surrounding Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s statements about American President Donald Trump continues to provoke strong reactions. In a new statement, Baye Mayoro Diop, Director of Centralized Cooperation (DIRCOD), once again criticized the head of government, strongly reaffirming that “diplomacy is the exclusive domain of the head of state”.
In a detailed text, the DIRCOD emphasizes that only the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, is authorized to define and conduct Senegal’s foreign policy, alongside the Minister of Foreign Affairs and ambassadors acting under his authority. He argues that Ousmane Sonko “has no authority” to speak on foreign policy matters without express authorization.
According to Baye Mayoro Diop, the Prime Minister’s remarks in Dakar are of “unusual gravity” and reflect a confusion of roles at the highest level of the state. He warns of the consequences of such statements, which could, in his view, weaken Senegal’s diplomatic consistency and expose the country to risks in its relations with international partners, particularly the United States.
The Director of Centralized Cooperation goes further by suggesting that these statements, made in the presence of American diplomats based in Dakar, could compromise strategic national interests. He highlights that this kind of statement, given the institutional stature of its author, impacts the image and credibility of an entire country.
A Ministerial Warning Ignored
This new criticism comes just a few days after an official warning. In a statement released on April 5 in Dakar, the supervisory ministry denounced statements of “particular gravity”, calling them unacceptable and contrary to the responsibilities, restraint, and loyalty inherent in public functions.
Despite this warning, Baye Mayoro Diop seems to not comply and continues his critiques, launching new political “missiles” against Ousmane Sonko. This stance raises questions about respect for administrative discipline and institutional communication consistency.
In its publication, the DIRCOD also denounces a “progressive interference” by the Prime Minister in the diplomatic field, which it finds worrying. It mentions a discourse it views as populist and warns against its potentially harmful effects on Senegal’s interests.
Going even further, Baye Mayoro Diop openly questions the Prime Minister’s intentions, wondering if there might be a deliberate effort to compromise the bilateral relationship between Senegal and the United States, or even to “sabotage” the diplomacy led by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
